1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to film negative mounting cards and more particularly to a continuous web of cardstock divided into apertured segments for sequentially receiving cut film negatives in registry with the apertures on the continuous web.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the photography industry to use aperture cards or "crop" cards in the mounting of film negatives to permit the professional photographer to improve the quality of composition of the photographs printed from the film negatives. By selectively positioning the film negative opposite the aperture in the card, the desired content of the film negative is centered in the aperture. Undesirable objects present in the photographic field are thereby deleted.
Conventional aperture cards contain openings for a pin registry system which is standard in the industry. The pin registry facilitates consistent and reliable reference to the optical center of the card and the film negative. Typically, the pin registry system includes locating the optical center of the card by measuring one half of the distance between a top registry hole and a bottom registry hole. A vertical line through the center of the two registry holes is bisected by a horizontal line. The horizontal line defines the vertical center of the card. By measuring a predetermined distance horizontally from the point of intersection, the optical center of any given card can be determined.
A crop card is used to reduce the size of the aperture opening and thereby reduce the exposed area of the negative. In this manner, undesirable subject matter present in the negative is eliminated, and the composition of the print to be developed is customized to the choice of the photographer. By mounting a film negative to a crop card, a photographer is able to accurately communicate to the processing laboratory or developer his instructions for cropping the image. While the accuracy of communication enhances the overall photographic quality, the amount of time consumed by viewing the negatives and attaching them to the desired optical center places the processing laboratory in conflict with the photographer, since neither desires to assume responsibility to perform these tasks.
Photographers generally consider the task of cropping to be rote and counterproductive. The processing laboratories typically consider these tasks to be in the nature of creative composition or enhancement features. Laboratories are reluctant to take responsibility for cropping as unsatisfactory results will be ultimately attributed by the photographer or studio to the laboratory. The photographer on the other hand is unwilling to expend the amount of time necessary to achieve the desired results in so far as the composition of the photograph.
A large percentage of photographs do not require qualitative evaluation because conventional negative mounting cards include cropping devices and employ techniques which provide composition regarded as acceptable "as taken". However, current practice dictates that every negative be viewed and attached to an aperture card by hand. This is a time consuming task which increases the expense of photographic development and reduces the efficiency between the photographer/studio and laboratory.
A known example of mounting photographic transparencies for projector viewing in sequence on a strip of thin flexible back up film is disclosed in published European Patent Application No. 0 041 211. The strips consist of two similar film parts with apertures matching the size of the transparency. The transparency is fitted inside the mask. The second strip is then laid over the row of masks and bonded. Apertures are of such dimension that a developed transparency may be mounted either vertically or horizontally as the image may dictate so that when viewed the strip projects each image in proper orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,218 is considered relevant for the disclosure of a method of making prepopped film transparency slides. At least two opposite marginal portions adjacent to the image area are bent prior to insertion in a mount so as to lie in planes other than the normal plane of the transparency. When the transparency is mounted in a conventional mount, closing of the mount halves forces the marginal portions into a common plane, imparting curvature to the intervening image area. Abrupt shifting or flexing, otherwise referred to as popping, is thereby eliminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,786 discloses a method for manufacturing microfilm record cards from a substantially continuous web of cardstock. The web of cardstock is conveyed along a predetermined path, and it is embossed as it is moved along the path to raise a portion above the surface of the surrounding web. The web is then ground to form a rectangular ground area on the raised surface. The ground area is de-embossed and an aperture is formed through the web in the ground area. After the web is printed, it is cut into individual record cards which are stocked for transfer to a film mounting apparatus.
Methods for making or mounting transparent slides are well known in the art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,277,969; 3,235,991; 3,264,154; and 4,665,681. U.S. Pat. No. 2,277,969 discloses a lantern slide folder that includes a plurality of slide holders each, including a front panel and a rear panel with the panels aligned and the panels having aligned apertures therein. The panels are suitably secured together by glue disposed between their marginal edges. The panel supports a transparency, such as color film, by engagement with the edges thereof. The holders are secured in hinged relation by upper and lower adhesive, strips or tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,991 discloses another paper mount for photographic transparencies. The transparency mount includes a generally rectangular cardboard support having apertures cut therein. The apertures are spaced so that when the mount is folded along a weakened line the apertures will be automatically registered to frame a transparency lying in a transparency seat. The transparency is located in the seat by means of raised dots which act as both spacing and aligning means and also as adhesive means when heat is applied to the completed mounted transparency.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,154 discloses a method for making picture slides. A roll of continuous paperboard having pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side and masked by a continuous removable strip or backing is printed with a desired repeated legend or pattern opposite to the pressure sensitive adhesive. The paperboard is cut to provide windows before being formed into the roll. The continuous paperboard and strip are drawn across a knife disposed transversely thereto. The knife cuts the continuous paperboard into pieces but does not penetrate the backing strip. The backing strip is peeled from the pieces onto a roll just before the pieces pass through a mechanism which receives and segments the continuous picture film and applies the segments through selected windows. The segments are a little larger than the windows and are secured in place by pressure-sensitive adhesive. The lightly attached pieces are folded into adjacent relationship. The pressure-sensitive adhesive holds the pieces firmly together to secure the film segments therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,681 discloses a method and apparatus for automatically or manually mounting photographic films into mounts mechanically openable at one side.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,202 discloses a folding case for shipping and viewing film slides. The case comprises an elongated sheet of material which is sectioned by transverse score lines into a series of connected segments or panels. Uncut surface layers at the base of each of transverse scores lines provide a series of one-way hinges, each being oriented oppositely from the next hinge in the series. Alternate panels of the series are provided with openings or windows. Mounted slides are inserted in the openings and locked in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,767 is considered relevant for a disclosure of a pin registration system of producing slide transparencies for overhead projections. A plurality of image bearing film sheets are arranged in superposed relation. A series of master sheets are placed in overlying relationship to each other on an overhead projector. The pin registration allows for alignment with a sequence of images so as to superpose images which relate to each to form a complete image from several disjunctive images.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,311,946 discloses a processing device for the representation of objects. Sections of cellophane material contain pictures. Double folded strips of the transparent material are superposed in relation to one another to illustrate successive use of an object or objects. Combinational pictorial representations of the objects are obtained.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,119 discloses a method of cumulatively recording intelligence on a record sheet. A plurality of photographic images each representing one entry of a cumulative record occupy one of several predetermined fractional areas of a card. Remaining fractional areas are shielded. A sequence of entries represent a continuing transaction in numerical and chronological order.
While it is well known to mount slide transparencies, as well as film negatives on aperture cards, the known devices and methods require first preparation of individual mounting or aperture cards and second automatic or manual assembly of the individual transparency in the aperture card. This is a time consuming task, particularly for aperture cards that receive transparencies between overlying layers. Also the structure of known aperture cards does not facilitate efficient adjustment in the composition of a film negative visible through the aperture of the card. Therefore, there is need for a film negative mounting or aperture card having a construction that facilitates efficient mounting of the film negative or transparency and permits ease of adjustment in selecting the composition of the negative visible through the aperture of the card.